


the string quartet

by jxnathanbyers



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, M/M, Multi, Poly Barry, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 07:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10183964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jxnathanbyers/pseuds/jxnathanbyers
Summary: Barry is trying to deal with his feelings for Iris, Leonard and Mick.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this was originally supposed to be coldwestallen, but i love mick too much to not add him; enjoy! and please let me know if i made any mistakes in regarding to barry's sexuality; i want to write the best rep possible and any criticism is welcome!
> 
> (and yes, mick does the chris evans boob grab!)

Barry sits at his desk, tapping his pencil on the wooden surface. After class, he’s meeting up with Iris at Jitters and from the way his heart is beating fast, he can tell that he’s excited. And why wouldn’t he be? It’s their first date since Barry confessed his feelings for her at Cisco’s Christmas party. He should be happy, and he is, but there’s just something lying there in the back of his mind. A certain someone named Leonard Snart, and that said someone is also coincidentally sitting right next to him, biting a nail. He had admired the guy ever since their shared report on bio-engineering.

 

“Hey,” someone whispers and Barry jumps, turning to see who it is. 

 

It’s Leonard, the boy leaning over and speaking out of the corner of his mouth, “Can you stop tapping your pencil? It’s distracting.”

 

Barry immediately stops, a flush rising on the back of his neck. “Sorry,” he mouths, gently laying his pencil down to avoid any more reprimands. Though, if he was honest, he didn’t mind Leonard reprimanding him.

 

Not too long after that, the bell rings and Barry gathers his stuff. When he makes his way to the door, he’s stopped by a hand on his arm. 

 

“Hey, I didn’t mean to be rude earlier.” 

 

“Oh, it’s okay.” Barry replies, acutely aware of Leonard’s hand still on his arm. Leonard notices it, too, because he very quickly takes his hand back, bringing it up to rub his neck sheepishly.

 

“Well, I’ll uh,” Leonard stammers, pushing the nose bridge of his glasses up higher, “see you around.” He moves toward the door to meet up with Mick. 

 

Barry watches them out of the corner of his eye as Mick laughs at something Leonard said. They start to walk beside each other with ease, Barry being stuck behind them. While he starts to walk to his next class, he reflects on his feelings for both Iris and Leonard, trying to sort them out, then he looks up and sees Mick laugh again. Shit.

* * *

 

During English, he spends most of the time thinking back on Mick’s laugh. That wonderful, sweet laugh. When Mick laughs, his eyes crinkle in the corners and he always has to grab something whether it be Leonard’s arm, his chest, or a locker. He just looks so positively carefree and it’s so  _ weird _ . But in a good way.

 

Barry really should be paying attention to the professor at the front of the classroom. He really should. But now he’s even more confused. How can he have feelings for Iris, Leonard,  _ and _ Mick all at the same time? And to even think of just dating one of them makes his chest hurt. What could he say to Iris? Should he even tell her?

 

It doesn’t feel right to want to be with her, date her, and then like two other people. It feels  _ wrong  _ to him. He hopes the day goes by fast so he can see her soon. 

* * *

 

He runs to Jitters, checking his watch every few minutes. One of his professors had asked him to stay a little longer to discuss a project he was working on and he didn’t have the courage to tell them that he needed to be somewhere and now he was late for Iris. 

 

He bursts through the doors and sees her at a nearby table. Breathing a sigh of relief, he walks over there and waves. “Hey, Iris! Sorry I’m late.” 

 

She gives him a radiant smile, gesturing for him to sit down. “Oh no, it’s fine. How have you been?”

 

“Good, good.” There’s a coffee waiting in front of him and he takes it gratefully. 

 

They sit in silence for a few moments and then say at the same time,

 

“So-”

 

“Iris, there’s something I need to tell you.” 

 

She pauses and Barry takes a deep breath.

 

“I like you.” He says with finality. 

 

Iris breathes a silent sigh of relief. “I like you too, Barry.” 

 

“But-” He stops and wipes his hands on his jeans nervously, “I don’t know how to say this; I’m sorry.”

 

“Barry,” Iris reaches over to take his hand. He lets her. “I know you. You can say whatever you need to me.”

 

“I like you,” He repeats and then adds, “and I like Leonard. And I like Mick.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Silence once again. Barry is bouncing his leg under the table; his arms go from being crossed to laying on his legs to on the table. He’s so uncomfortable, so open.

 

“Barry, it’s natural to have crushes on multiple people.”

 

Barry shakes his head and from his mouth, words tumble out, “That’s not it, Iris. I want to be with you. All of you. At the same time. I like you. I like Leonard. I like Mick. I think if I couldn’t be with all of you, I wouldn’t feel whole. Does that make sense? Am I wrong for feeling this way? Iris, is there something wrong with me?” 

 

And Barry is surprised to find that his vision is blurry. He lifts up a hand to his eyes and wipes them. Tears.

 

Iris is over there in a flash, hugging him. “Barry, there is nothing wrong with you. There could never be. Well, actually that’s a lie, you do eat too many pizza pockets and that’s a problem, but there’s nothing wrong with you in this aspect.” 

 

“Could you even be with me if I wanted this?”

 

“Of course I could. It might be weird at first, but I’m okay with it. I like  _ you _ , Barry. And this is a part of you. But I think you should talk to Leonard and Mick.”

 

Barry nods.

* * *

 

“But I’m dating Mick.” 

 

Barry is standing in front of Leonard, twiddling his fingers. He’s so nervous. “I know. I like him too.”

 

“You like my boyfriend?”

 

“And you, yes.”

 

“Well, I can’t say we’ve never thought about it.” 

 

Barry looks up in surprise at that. “ _ What _ ?”

 

Leonard chuckles. “Well, yeah, I mean, look at you. You’re a good looking dude. I’d have to talk to Mick about this, but I think it could work.” Then he leans over and kisses Barry on the cheek, leaving Barry feeling elated. “I’ll see you around.”

  
“Yeah.” Barry replies, smiling.


End file.
